By Danielle Graves. Last Updated 4th December 2023. In this guide, we will highlight how much compensation for losing a limb you could get, giving examples of how to calculate damages. If your injuries were caused due to third-party negligence, you might have grounds to make a personal injury claim. Being able to claim compensation revolves around proving that your injuries were caused by negligence. This will be explained in the guide.
How much compensation for losing a limb?
Additionally, our guide will explore what evidence can help to support a personal injury claim.
We will also look at the other steps you could take following an accident that caused you harm.
You could make an amputation compensation claim using a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. The potential financial benefits of making amputation claims through this method will be explained further in the article.
Alternatively, if you would like to speak with a member of our team, you can:
- Call us on 0333 000 0729
- Fill out our contact form
- Speak to an advisor instantly using the live chat feature
Select A Section
- How Much Compensation For Losing A Limb Could I Claim?
- How Do You Claim For Losing A Limb?
- Types Of Amputation Injuries
- What Evidence Do I Need To Claim For Losing A Limb?
- Contact Us About Amputation And Limb Loss Compensation Claims
- More Resources About Amputation Compensation Claims
How Much Compensation For Losing A Limb Could I Claim?
You may be able to make an amputation compensation claim if you can prove that your injuries were caused by third-party negligence. This section will provide you with a better idea of how much compensation you could receive from an amputation claim.
If you’re wondering how much compensation for losing a limb you could receive, the settlement you are awarded following a successful claim could vary depending on several factors. However, generally, your settlement may comprise of general and special damages.
General damages seek to compensate for the pain and suffering your injury has caused you to sustain. Legal professionals can use different resources to help them when valuing this head of claim, such as medical evidence. Additionally, they can use the guideline compensation brackets displayed in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).
In amputation claims, the amount of compensation from a successful claim can depend on factors such as:
- The extent of the injury
- How badly the amputation has impacted your everyday life
- The seriousness of the injury and whether any other negative effects (such as psychological injuries) were caused as a result of it.
We have included the figures from the JCG in the table below, except for the first entry. Please note, that the following figures are a guideline.
| Injury | Guideline Compensation Amount | Injury Description |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries and special damages | Up to £1,000,000+ | Settlements may include compensation for multiple injuries of a severe natures and incurred expenses, including lost income, nursing care and home adaptions. |
| Amputation of Arms | £240,790 - £300,000 | (a) Both arms are amputated. |
| Amputation of Arms | Not less than £137,160 | (b) (i) One arm that has been amputated at the shoulder. |
| Amputation of Arms | £109,650 - £130,930 | (b) (ii) Amputation of one arm above the elbow. |
| Amputation of Arms | £96,160 - £109,650 | (b) (iii) One arm is amputated below the elbow. |
| Amputation of Legs | £240,790 - £282,010 | (a) (i) Both legs are lost. |
| Amputation of Legs | £201,490 - £270,100 | (a) (ii) Both legs are amputated below the knee. |
| Amputation of Legs | £104,830 - £137,470 | (a) (iii) One leg is amputated above the knee. |
| Amputation of Legs | £97,980 - £132,990 | (a) (iv) One leg is amputated below the knee. |
| Foot Injuries | £169,400 - £201,490 | (a) Both feet are amputated. |
| Foot Injuries | £83,960 - £109,650 | (b) One foot is amputated. |
Our advisors can provide a more accurate assessment of how much compensation you could receive for your injury. In order to see how much you could receive from a successful amputation compensation claim, please contact us for free using the above details.
Can Financial Losses Make Up Part Of My Amputation Compensation?
Special damages reimburse the financial losses you sustain as a result of your injuries. Suffering from a serious injury, like an amputation, can have a huge impact on your quality of life. This is why, in your compensation claim, you can claim for financial losses caused by the injury.
Special damages in an amputation compensation claim can include:
- Loss of earnings
- Amendments to house or vehicle
- Private medical expenses and rehabilitation. This could include, for example, the expenses involved in attaching a prosthetic limb.
- The costs of continuous medical care which may be needed
It should be noted that you need evidence to receive special damages compensation as part of your amputation claim. Evidence can include invoices, receipts, bank statements and payslips. You would only receive compensation for financial losses in amputation compensation claims if you can prove that your injury was caused by negligence.
Our advisors can answer any questions you may have regarding your potential amputation compensation settlement. Contact us for free using the above details.
How Do You Claim For Losing A Limb?
An amputation involves having a limb from your body removed. To make a personal injury claim, you must prove the following:
- Someone owes you a duty of care at the time and place of the accident
- This duty of care was breached
- You were injured as a result of the breach, this can include physical or psychological injuries.
There are various third parties who owe you a duty of care. The duty of care each third party owes differs slightly, for example:
- An employer owes their employees a duty of care to take reasonable steps to remove or reduce the risk of harm posed by a known hazard. This is outlined under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Failure to adhere to this duty of care could lead to you making an accident at work claim if you are injured as a result.
- The person in control of a public space owes you a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 to reasonably ensure your safety.
- Road users owe a duty of care under the Road Traffic Act 1988 to behave in a way that reduces the risk of harm to others while navigating the roads. There are also rules and guidance in the Highway Code, some of the rules are backed by law. A road traffic accident can cause serious, life-changing injuries. A driver’s failure to uphold their duty of care could see you making a road traffic accident claim if you experience harm as a result.
If you can prove that a liable third party breached the duty of care they owed you and caused you harm, you may be able to seek compensation for losing a limb.
Can I Claim For An Amputation Injury Caused By Medical Negligence?
You may be able to claim compensation for an amputation injury caused by medical negligence. You may suffer from amputation injuries due to a doctor or a healthcare professional’s failure to diagnose a condition or illness correctly.
Every doctor or healthcare professional has a standard of care that they need to adhere to. If you have evidence showing that their actions went below this expected standard of care, causing your injuries, you may be able to claim for medical negligence.
To learn more about amputation claims, contact us for free using the above details.
Amputation Statistics For Accidents At Work
To help monitor workplace health and safety, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) collects statistics on accidents at work reported by employers under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR). This includes collecting statistics related to the loss of limb. The HSE regulate health and safety in the workplace.
Between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023, 60,645 non-fatal workplace injuries in Great Britain were reported under RIDDOR. Of these, 518 were amputations. These amputations could have involved the arm, hand, finger, thumb, leg, foot or toe.
A member of our advisory team can discuss your potential amputation compensation claim. Additionally, if you meet the eligibility criteria, you could be connected to a personal injury solicitor from our panel.
Types Of Amputation Injuries
Amputation of a limb can occur traumatically during an accident or surgically.
Traumatic amputation can occur through multiple accidents, including crush injuries from warehouse machinery and serious head-on collisions with vehicles.
Surgical amputation may be required if there is an infection in the limb. For instance, you may have a partial amputation of your fingers from an injury that is at risk of infection.
Types of amputation that could lead to loss of limb compensation claims include:
- Knee-bearing amputation – Complete removal of the leg above the knee. Leg amputation like this can have a devastating impact on your quality of life.
- Below-knee amputation – These amputations leave the knee intact.
- Foot amputations – In some cases, the whole foot may need to be amputated, causing severe mobility issues. This could lead to you wanting to make an amputation injury claim.
- Hand amputation – In some instances, this could lead to you being unable to work.
As with personal injury claims, in general, evidence is crucial to claiming compensation which will be discussed in the next section. To see if you can make a No Win No Fee amputation claim, please contact us for free using the details above.
How To Make An Amputation Compensation Claim
What Evidence Do I Need To Claim For Losing A Limb?
After sustaining your amputation injuries, it is important that you receive medical attention as soon as possible. This ensures you receive the correct treatment and can provide you with medical evidence in the form of doctor and hospital reports.
Gathering evidence is important as you need to prove third-party negligence caused your injury to receive amputation compensation. Further examples of evidence that you could gather include:
- Photographs of the scene of the accident and of your injuries
- Witness contact details
- CCTV footage
- A diary of your treatment.
- Notes from a therapist or mental health specialist.
You may also find it beneficial to seek free legal advice from our team of advisors. They can assess the validity of your potential amputation claim and could connect you with personal injury lawyers from our panel.
Contact Us About Amputation And Limb Loss Compensation Claims
A No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel could offer their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). As per this agreement, you don’t pay for your solicitor’s services if the claim fails. If the claim succeeds, you will pay a success fee from your compensation. The law caps the amount that can be taken.
To learn more about how personal injury solicitors from our panel could help and the services they could provide, get in touch with our team. An advisor can also provide further guidance on how to claim compensation for losing a limb.
To see if you can make an amputation claim, you can:
- Call us on 0333 000 0729
- Fill out our contact form
- Speak to an advisor instantly using the live chat feature
More Resources About Amputation Compensation Claims
See the external links below that may provide more support about making an amputation claim:
- GOV – Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- GOV – Road Traffic Statistics
- NHS – First Aid
We have also included more of our guides:
- Foot Injury Compensation Claim
- £60,000 Compensation Payout For A Broken Arm Accident At Work
- Fatal Accident At Work Compensation Claims Guide
Thank you for reading this guide on how much compensation for losing a limb you could receive. Contact us to learn more about how to make amputation claims.
Written by JA
Edited by MMI
